Aging, outmigration behind Türkiye’s lowest-ranked socioeconomic districts: Experts

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s lowest-ranked socioeconomic districts in the Black Sea and Central Anatolia reflect heavy outmigration and disproportionately aging populations, leaving small, isolated communities with limited economic activity, sociologists have pointed out.

The findings come from Türkiye’s first household-level socioeconomic ranking, published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on Aug. 18. Using income, education, and occupation data, TÜİK classified 26 million households into seven socioeconomic categories.

According to the study, Istanbul hosts the largest share of households in the country’s highest socioeconomic brackets, with the capital Ankara’s Çankaya determined as the district with the highest socioeconomic status.

In contrast, most of the lowest-ranked districts are in Central Anatolia and the Black Sea, such as Çamoluk in the northeastern city of Giresun and Derebucak in the central city of Konya.

Experts note that demographic trends largely explain these rankings.

Professor Dr. Barış Erdoğan, chair of Üsküdar University’s Sociology Department, told daily Milliyet that small rural districts with declining populations are more likely to score low, while larger urban districts can mask inequality within their boundaries.

He added that while unemployment is also high in southeast Türkiye, cities there still show economic activity, unlike the depopulated rural districts in the north and central regions.

Professor Dr. Demet Lüküslü, chair of Yeditepe University’s Sociology Department, emphasized the role of limited employment opportunities.

“These districts are small, rural and young people leave for work, leaving predominantly older populations behind,” she explained.

She noted that social policies and services designed according to local demographic realities are essential.

Echoing Lüküslü and Erdoğan’s remarks, sociologist Professor Dr. Sutay Yavuz emphasized that higher-income households often relocate from these districts, while in some southeast regions, people continue to live despite challenges such as earthquakes.